THE Waggonway Project is celebrating the launch of a new publication tomorrow (Saturday) with a coastal salt tour and book launch event.

The group is a community heritage project run by the 1722 Waggonway Heritage Group – created to interpret, preserve and enhance the route and associated industries and environments of Scotland’s first railway.

Waggonway Project members Gareth Jones, Aaron Allen, Gary Donaldson, Alan Braby and Ed Bethune have all contributed written and artistic content to SALT: Scotland’s Newest Oldest Industry, an accessible publication which takes the reader on a journey around the history and archaeology of Scotland’s historic salt making sites, with insightful additions from those making sea salt around the country today.

Starting at the 1722 Waggonway Museum, guides will lead a coastal tour of the local salt pan site to give an insight into the history and archaeology of the coastline.

READ MORE: Cockenzie: Waggonway Project digs into harbour’s long history

The tour will finish at the Battle of Prestonpans Jacobite Museum in Prestonpans, where authors of the book will speak about their contributions to what is the most comprehensive and up-to-date book on Scotland’s most essential of industries.

A special guest for the day will also be in attendance –the book’s co-editor, Joanna Hambly, archaeologist and research fellow at the University of St Andrews.

Through her work with the SCAPE Trust, she manages an award-winning national programme of community research into the archaeology of Scotland’s coasts and has a long-standing interest in the archaeology of sea salt manufacture in the UK.

The tour starts at 11am from the Waggonway Museum on West Harbour Road, Cockenzie. Those attending are asked to be there by 10.45am.

At 1pm the tour arrives at the Battle of Prestonpans Jacobite Museum in Prestonpans Town Hall, with speeches from authors at 1.30pm.

The tour and event are free, with books on sale for £20. Complimentary refreshments will be provided.